This invention relates to convenient-to-use, yet sure, cable harnesses for securing axially aligned workpieces such as cables, wires, lines, cords, hoses, tubes and the like; more particularly the invention relates to cable harnesses which are adjustable to snugly hold workpiece bundles of different sizes and which can also be opened from the locked position by hand without damaging any workpieces contained therein.
Cable harnesses have generally fallen into one or two groups, those which merely secure a number of cables or other workpieces together in a bundle and those which secure one or more workpieces which also incorporate a device for affixing the cable harness to another object. The present invention is directed to an improved cable harness which can be employed either to secure workpieces together or in conjunction with an affixing device to hold the cable harness and its content to a fixed position.
Various different types of clamps and harnesses have heretofore been made and used for securing a wide variety of items together and/or to supports. For example, flexible strap type mounting devices have been used to attach hoses to panels in automobiles and to bind electrical cables together. Some such devices have had the advantage of being adjustable so that a single device might snugly hold workpiece bundles which vary in size, but have not been easily opened once put into service. Other such devices have been capable of being opened once in service but have not been adjustable so as to enable a single device to snugly hold more than one size workpiece bundle. In order for a cable harness to have maximum utility, it will be recognized that it must be adjustable to handle a wide range of bundle sizes, so as to minimize the stock of such parts which must be carried by installers, and also easily opened without damage to the cable harness or its contents, so as to enable the installer and ultimately the user to add to, take away from or change the contents of the harness.
It is quite common for cable harnesses to be employed in equipment of an electrical or mechanical nature which is congested with other parts and affords only limited accessibility to the site where a cable harness is to be installed or serviced once installed. As a consequence of the foregoing, the effectiveness of a cable harness will often depend on the ease with which the device can be installed, locked and reopened, if necessary.
It will also be recognized that while it is desirable for a cable harness to be adjustable over a broad range to hold workpiece bundles which vary greatly in size, it is also desirable for cable harnesses to be adjustable in very small increments so that they can tightly confine workpiece bundles regardless of their size. Among the applications in which the ability to make fine adjustments in the size of cable harnesses is considered to be most important are those in which such devices are used to restrain workpieces from motion and particularly from vibration.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cable harness which can be locked easily and which when locked will securely hold any workpieces enclosed therein.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable harness which may be easily opened from the locked position.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable cable harness which can be used to snugly hold workpiece bundles of varying sizes.
A further object of the present invention is to make a cable harness which can be of an inexpensive, unitary, molded manufacture, utilizing widely available plastic materials such as nylon.
A still further object of the present invention is to make a cable harness which may be equipped with devices for affixing the cable harness and its contents to securing objects.